Too Little Sleep and Too Much Caffeine
by jaded river hussie
Summary: A caffeine and sugar induced moment between Leo and Margaret when she shows up at his place at 2:30 in the morning. Slight hint of romance.


Title: Too Little Sleep & Too Much Caffeine  
Author: Astrid  
Disclaimer: Characters are property of Sorkin et al. And The Discovery Channel isn't mine, nor are their shows about ghosts & hauntings.  
Rating: PG  
Category: L/M, caffeine & sugar induced  
Summary: "Margaret, it's nearly 2:30 in the morning, what are you doing here?"  
Spoilers: Uh...I don't think so but I guess that there might be minor ones through H. Con 172  
Archive: You want it, lemme know.  
Feedback: I'm hungry.  
  
Note: The other night The Discovery Channel was airing a few episodes of the World's Most Haunted... It's 2 a.m., I can't sleep (most likely because of the four, or maybe it was five, cups of coffee), & I see living people. A muse and her many forms. *sigh*  
Oh yeah, so please excuse any grammer mistakes, typos, misspelled words, & non-coherent...things.  
And inspiration was also provided by the country group Emerson Drive and their song "I Should Be Sleeping," which came on about an hour before I wrote this on one station and then came on again on a different station just a few minutes ago....Oh goodness, I think I feel a song-fic of a sequel coming on...  
  
  
  
Too Little Sleep and Too Much Caffeine  
  
  
Sunday, January 13, 2002  
-- 2:19 a.m. --  
  
Abrupt knocking rips Leo from an ascent into a peaceful slumber on his sofa. He glances at his watch as he makes his way to the door. He pulls the door open with a growl, "What?"  
  
Margaret's standing on the other side, "Did I wake you?"  
  
"What d'you think?"  
  
"Maybe I should have called first."  
  
"Margaret, it's nearly 2:30 in the morning, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I couldn't sleep," she says, running a hand through her slightly mussed hair.  
  
Leo looks at her. She's wearing her coat over what looks like a pair of pajamas and a pair of bedroom slippers. "So you drove to my place in your pajamas? Get in here before someone sees you," he says, pulling her in.  
  
She stands by the door. "I was watching The Discovery Channel and they had on these shows about haunted hotels and they talked about how most ghosts hang around because they unfinished business, a lot of which has to do with love and most of these people died suddenly and relatively young and in love and you should live each day to the fullest because you never know when it's going to be your last. And there's the whole you should never go to sleep angry with someone, not having resolved it, because you never know what might happen before you get the chance to tell them you're sorry and that you love them and--"  
  
"Margaret--"  
  
"--I'd hate to die suddenly and unexpectantly having unfinished business just because I never said or did something that I should have and I love you. Good-night," she says, turning and reaching for the doorknob.  
  
Leo grabs her arm and turns her to him, gently, "Wait a minute, what the hell was that?"  
  
"Good-night?"  
  
"Before that."  
  
"Well, on The Discovery Channel--"  
  
"After that. Between the 'unfinished business' and 'good-night.'"  
  
"I love you?"  
  
"Yeah, that part."  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I got that. What did you mean?"  
  
"That I love you?"  
  
Leo shakes his head, "You need to get some sleep, Margaret. We'll talk about this later, when you're well rested," he says, letting go of her arm.  
  
"Okay," she says, slightly turning back towards the door before turning back to Leo. "Leo?"  
  
He looks at her, "Yeah?"  
  
She grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him to her, kissing him on the lips. Her hands flatten against his chest as she feels him placing his hands on her arms, not sure if he's going to pull her away or pull her closer. She pulls away, licks her lips, and purses them together. "I really need to get some sleep."  
  
Leo sighs, "You're not the only one."  
  
"Good-night," Margaret says, not moving.  
  
"You said that already. I have a guest room if you'd like to use it."  
  
"I can sleep here?"  
  
"Well, you can sleep damn near anywhere, but, yes, you can sleep here. I don't think I trust you driving anywhere in your condition."  
  
"What condition?"  
  
"I'm gonna say sleep deprivation. And too much caffeine. I can have my driver take you back to your apartment."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"That's it, you're not going anywhere but to bed. C'mon," he says, placing a hand on her arm and guiding her through his place.  
  
"I kissed you."  
  
"That's how I know you're in desperate need of sleep and that you have way too much sugar and caffeine coursing through your body."  
  
"Are you sure this isn't actually a dream? Because I once had this dream where we were in your office on the sofa and--"   
  
Leo stops and looks at her, "You had a dream-- nevermind. That's not something I should hear about. And *this* isn't a dream."  
  
"Are you sure? Because that one was pretty realistic. It was one of those ones where you can feel it. Your lips felt exactly the same way they did in that dream."  
  
"You have no idea how much it disturbs me to hear you say that. This is it," Leo says, opening the door to the guest room and switching on the light.  
  
Margaret takes a few steps into the room before looking back at Leo. She almost giggles, "You kinda kissed me back." She sighs. "This definitely isn't a dream?"   
  
"As far as I know, it's not. How many cups of coffee have you had today?"  
  
"Seven...Eight. I don't remember," she says, shrugging off her coat and leaving in the floor.  
  
Leo watches her, "I swear to God, Margaret, if you start unbuttoning your top while I'm standing here--"  
  
"Like I'd have to force you to watch me undress. I have a tank top type top on underneath, you dirty old pervert," she says, sticking her tongue out.  
  
"Put that away unless you're going to use it."   
  
The way Margaret smiles at him makes him more uncomfortable than he already is. He clears his throat, "Good-night."  
  
She starts to get in the bed, "I still think this might be a dream."  
  
"You're a walking zombie. And if this is a dream, it's got to be the weirdest damn dream I've ever had," he says, turning to go to his own room.  
  
Margaret yawns, "I love you, Leo."  
  
"Yeah yeah. I love you too." He waits for her response and peeks into the room. Just like that, Margaret's out like a lamp. "Good-night, Margaret."  
  
He turns the light off and begins to pull the door closed. "This is definitely something I can use against her," he says to himself aloud.  
  
"I heard that," Margaret mumbles loudly in her sleep.  
  
Leo smiles, in spite of himself, and continues down the hall before stopping dead in his tracks. He thinks, 'If she heard that, then that means she heard him say...'  
  
Leo looks back toward the guest room and muttters, "Aw hell."  
  
  
1/15/01 The End??  
  



End file.
